Circuit-breaker for ignition systems.



I. A. WILLIAMS.

CIRCUIT BREAKER FOII IGNITION SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, I9I6.

1,244,155. Patented Oct. 23,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

a I nun-q J. A. WILLIAMS.

CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. IBM?- 1,244,155. Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

fizz/6712 07 f. a. mm MWM yaw/.

JOSEPH A. WILLIAMS,

0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

' CIRCUIT-BREAKER FOR IGNITION S YSTEMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Circuit-Breakers for Ignition Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to circuit breakers or timers for ignition systems and has for its object to provide an eflicient circuit breaker adapted particularly for, but not necessarily confined to, so-called battery ignition systems wherein igniting current is supplied by a battery or by a battery and. generator.

More specifically considered, the invention aims to provide a circuit breaker which is exceedingly quick in action and is so constructed that the contacts are closed almost instantaneously when released or permitted to close by the cam without being delayed by lag or effects of inertia of the various parts and are then quickly opened after they have been in engagement a predetermined interval of time.

Further, the invention aims to provide a circuit breaker having the above characteristics, and additionally is so constructed that the dwell or period of time that the contacts are in engagement is not affected by the speed of operation of the engine,- in other words, that the contacts will remain in engagement for the same period of time at high engine speeds as well as low engine speeds.

A still further object is to provide a circuit breaker which is so constructed that the contacts can not be left in engagement when the engine stops or comes to rest; therefore the primary ignition circuit can not be left closed when the engine stops.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein I have shown two of several different forms inwhich my invention may be embodied, Figure 1 is a faceview of the principal parts of the circuit breaker in one of the embodiments of the invention, the parts being shown with the contacts open Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 191 '7.

Application flied March a, 1916. Serial m. 81,791.

but on the point of being closed; 2 is a a which may be associated with and act in conjunction with the circuit breaker; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing amodification; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the construction of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of the same construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of the construction shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, 10 represents the operating shaft which is provided with a cam, substantially in the form of a ratchet, this cam being provided on its periphery'with teeth 11 or with spiral or tapered peripheral cam portions or projections terminating in abrupt teeth which are preferably undercut, as shown, each spiral or tapered cam portion extending from the base of one tooth to-the point of the next adjacent tooth. In this case the circuit breaker is designed for a four cylinder engine, inasmuch as the cam is provided with four such teeth or peripheral cam portions. It will be understood, of course, that the number of peripheral teeth or cam portions which are providedwill depend on the number of cylinders for which the circuit breaker is intended to be used.

Mounted upon a plate 12, which may be and preferably is a part of the casing which incloses the operating parts of the circuit breaker and of the distributer as shown in Fig. 4, is supported a stationary contact member 13 carrying at its lower or inner carried by a small lever 17 which is pivoted between its ends on a pin or stud 18 carried by a movable or yieldable supporting member 19, which, in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, is in the form of a lever pivoted on a pin or stud 20 to the plate 12 of the casing. This lever 19 is preferably, although not necessarily, acted on by a relatively weak spring 21, here shown as a small spiral spring which tends to swing the free end of the lever 19 upwardly or toward the stationary contact 14. The movements of the le- Vers 17 and 19 are controlled, however, principally by a relatively strong spring 22,

- which is considerably stronger than the spring 21. One end of spring 22 is fastened at 23 to a lug or pin on the plate, 12, and its opposite end bears on the shelf 17 or portion of the lever 17 which extends from the pivotal axis of the lever 17 in a direction opposite to that portion which carries the movable contact 16. This spring 22 has the double function of rocking the small lever 17 about its pivotal axis on the lever 19, and also of rocking or moving the two levers simultaneously or as one until the lever 19 engages a stop pin 24 suitably positioned beneath lever 19. It will be observed that the smaller lever 17 has a limited range of rocking movement relative to the supporting lever 19, the outer end of the lever 17 that is, the portion which extends beyond the contact 16, projecting into an opening or slot in the outer end of lever 19 and having a limited movement between an upper shoulder 19 and a lower shoulder 19". The inner end 17 of the lever 17 projects toward the periphery of the cam 11 and is adapted to ride on portions of the four spiral cam projections on the cam periphery so as to slightly elevate the lever 19 and lever 17 and to ride ofi the teeth formed thereon so as to permit the circuit breaker to be quickly closed and after a predetermined dwell or period of engagement to be quickly opened, as will now be explained.

After the circuit breaker is opened. the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 3, with the spring 22 pressing the outer or free end of lever 7 against the upper shoulder of lever 19 and at the same time pressing lever 19 against the stop 24. The two levers are now relatively rigid and act as one piece or element. As the cam rotates the spiral or tapered cam projection which is just beneath the end 17" of lever 17 engages the point or inner end of lever 17, and in so doing it rocks lever 17 about its pivotal axis on lever 19 until the outer end of lever 1.7 engages the lower shoulder 19 of lever 19. At this point the two levers again become rigid or as one piece and the continued elevating action of the cam projection now serves to simultaneously elevate both levers swinging the same about the pivotal axis of lever 19. This moves the movable contact toward the stationary contact but not into engagement therewith, for when elevated in this manner the maximum distance. the contacts are still slightly separated. as shown in Fig. 1, which shows the point of the lever 17 about to ride off the tooth of the cam. It will be understood that while the tendency of the relative weak spring 21 is to elevate the lever 19 the spring 21 is overcome by the relatively strong spring 22 which yieldingly resists the upward movement of lever 19 and holds the point of lever 17' down onto the tapered cam surface until the point of lever 17 rides off the tooth of the cam.

When this occurs the circuit breaker is instantly closed for the reason that the action of the spring 22 is to rock the lever 17 about on its pivotal axis on the lever 19, depressin the end 17 and elevating the contact 1 and bringing it into engagement with contact 14. The closing movement is hastened also bythe action of the spring 21 which swings the lever 19 upwardly as soon as the point of lever 17 rides off the tooth. The position of the parts on the instant of closure of the circuit breaker is shown in Fig. 2.

Immediately after the closure of the circuit breaker, that is to say, after a predetermined dwell or period of engagement which can be timed to suit the requirements, the contacts are quickly separated independently of the cam, for, the reason that the spring 22 continues to rock the lever 17 about its axis on the lever 19 and immediately after the contacts engage each other the action of the spring 22 is to move the lever 19 downwardly and at the same time 24:. The parts are new again in position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the cycle of operations above explained is caused to be repeated by the next cam projection of cam 11.

The movements above explained. take place very rapidly, the engaging and disengaging of the contacts each taking place during a comparatively small angular movement of the cam, as will be seen by comparing the positions of the cam in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and While the actual time spent in the closing, in the period of engagement, and in the opening or separation of the contacts, is brief, the period of dwell or time during which the contacts are in engagement is sufiicient to give good results in practice permitting full energization of the transformer coil which is associated with the circuit breaker. This dwell or period of engagement can be made as long as desired, the actual time of dwell depending upon the distance between the shoulders 19' and 19 of lever 19 and also to some extent upon the difference in the relative strengths of the two springs 21 and, 22. It should be noted that because the springs assist each the reverse direction independently of the cam which will be rotated slightly by the other the closing of the contacts is extire period from the time the lever rides off l the tooth of the eam until the contacts are separated the major portion of the time is spent in the dwell.

It will be seen, therefore, that'this construction has theimportant advantages of being rapid in operation; the period of time that the contacts are in engagement 1s not afiected by the speed of operation,

be-' ing the same for all speeds; and the con- 'tacts can not be left closed or in engagement when the engine comes to rest.

As is customary in ignition apparatus, the shaft 10 which operates the circuit operator may be employed for operating the distributer, the movable element 25 of which is shown in Fig. 4 as secured to the end of shaft 10. As the construction of thedistributer does not constitute a part of the present invention the construction will not be described in detail, although it may be noted in passing that the inner parts of the V 30 distributor as well as all the elements of the circuit breaker are inclosed in the same 7 casing, and the two devices constitute in effect one unitary structure.

Preferably, the cam 11 is not fixed to the shaft 10 but is driven through the instru mentality of a so-called ratchet clutch which is here shown as comprising an axially movable outwardly sprin'g-pressed pin 26 adapted to engage a shoulder on the inner periphery of the cam. Preferably, also, a spiral spring 27 is associated with the cam and shaft 10 to normally hold the pin 26 against the driving shoulder of the cam. This spring has one end attached to the cam as shown in Fig. 1; and its inner convolution frictionally engages rather tightly the shaft. lVith this construction if the engine should rotate backward, no injury is caused to the circuit breaker and in the event of a backward. rotation, the shaft may rotate in coil spring 27 until the point of lever 17 engages one of the teeth of the cam and will thence be held in that position by the spring until the driving pin26 is again restored against the shoulder of the ratchet clutch. The parts may then continue in normal operation without any danger of the normally fixed relative position of the cam and the shaft being disturbed.

In Figs. 5 to 8 my invention is embodied in a construction whose principle of operation and results are precisely the same as described in connection with the construcits ends on a pin 35, whichis carried at tion shown in Figs. -1 to 4. In this case the stationary contact 30 is carried at the inner end of an adjustable screw 31 mounted in an insulating bushing in the wall of the casing 32, said screw extending through and being adjustable from the exterior of the casing. .The movable contact 33 is carried on the outer end of a small lever or pivoted member 34, pivoted about midway betwegn t e outer end of a, movable support, in this case in the form of a leaf spring 36 which is secured to a, stud or pin 37 carried by the casing; The spring is so mountedand tensioned or biased that its outer end has a tendency to spring upward when the end of lever 34 rides off of the tooth of the cam 11. The lever. 34 has a limited range of rocking movement relative to the spring 36 and this is brought about in this case by means of a pin 38 which is carried by the inner, ortion of the contact carrying member or lever 34, said pin having a shankor body which extends through spring 36 and having two spaced shoulders 38 and 38 between which the spring may move. The upper shoulder is adapted to engage the upper surface of spring 36 to limit the rocking movement of member 34 on spring 36 in one direction and the lower shoulder 38 is adapted to engage the under or lower surface of spring 36 to limit the rocking movement of member 34 on spring 36 in the opposite direction. A spring 39 bears on the head of pin 38 and v normally holds the outer end of member 34 against the stop pin 40. This spring 39, which in this case is in the form of a leaf spring secured at 41 to the casing, is stronger than spring 36 and overcomes the tendency ofthe latter to move the contact 33 up into engagement with the contact 30.

In operation after the contacts are separated the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 7 As the cam revolves it engages the inner end or point of pivoted member 34 slightly elevating the outer end of spring 36 and rocking the pivoted member 34 about its axis 35 until the lower shoulder 38 of pin 38 engages the'lower side of spring 36, whereupon the two parts become and remain relatively immovable or as one element. The movement by the cam brings the movable contact 33 toward the stationary contact 30 but they do not engage until the point or inner end of the pivoted member rides off the tooth of cam 11. The position of the parts just before the point of pivoted member 34 drops off the tooth of the cam is shown in Fig. 5.

Substantially, the instant the point or inner end of pivoted member 34 rides ofi the tooth of the; cam the circuit breaker is quickly closed for the reason that the spring 35 pressing downwardly or inwardly on the pin 38 rocks the member 34 about its axis 35 and shifts the contact 33 in engagement with the contact 30. This closing movement is hastened by the upward movement of the spring 36. which for the instant is released and tends by its inherent tension to move upwardly. The position of the parts when engagement between the contacts takes place is shown in Fig. 6.

Immediately after the contacts engage each other,that is to say, immediately after the predetermined dwell or period of engagement, the length of which depends upon the distance between the shoulders 38 and 38 and the relative strengths of the springs 36-and 39, the contacts are quickly separated due to the fact that the upper shoulder 38 engages the upper surface of the spring 36 whereupon the two parts again become rigid or as one element and both are pressed downward by the spring 39 until the outer portion of the pivoted member 34 engages the stop pin 40. The partsare then again in the position shown in Fig. '7. It will be noted that in opening the two springs oppose each other, thus permitting a period of dwell which is long compared to the time of actual closing and actual opening.

With this construction as with the first, the closing and opening movements of the circuit breaker are extremely rapid, the opening following immediately after the dwell or period of engagement and-being independent of the cam, so that the contacts can not be held closed by the cam. Additionally, as with the first construction, the period of engagement of the. contacts is of ample length to get good results and is entirely independent of the speed of operation.

As in the first construction, the shaft 10 which operates the circuit breaker may be employed for operating the movable element of the distributer, the circuit breaker and distributer being shown in Fig. 8, associated and constituting one unitary structure.

In the construction just described the cam 11 is driven from the shaft 10 through the medium of the ratchet clutch with which the spiral spring 27 may be associated for the same purpose as previously described.

Numerous changes may be made in the constructions described without materially affecting the operation of my invention, and I, therefore. do not desire to be confined to the exact details shown. but aim in my claims to'cover all modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspects;

Having thus described my inyention, what I claim is:''

1. In a circuit breaker. a pair of relatively movable contacts including a movable contact and a movable member carrying the the cam to rock said same, a movable support for said member, a cam controlling the contact carryin member, and meanswhereby when sai member is released by the cam, said member is moved in one direction relative to said support causing the closing of the circuit and then said member and the support are moved in unison in the opposite direction causing the opening of the circuit.

2. In a circuit breaker, a pair of relatively movable contacts includinga stationary contact and a movable contact, a movable member carrying the latter, a movable support for said member, a cam controlling the contact carrying member, and means whereby when said member is released by the cam, said member is moved relative to said support causing the closin of the circuit and then said member an the support are moved in unison causing the opening of the circuit, said means comprisinga spring-acting on said member.

3. In a circuit breaker, a pair of relatively movable contacts includin a movable contact and a member carrying the same; a movable support to which said contactcarrying member is pivoted; a cam controlling said contact carrying member and means acting upon the release of said member by the cam for rocking in one direction said member on the support to cause the closure of the circuit, and for subsequently shifting both said member and its support in unison in the opposite direction to cause the opening of the circuit.

4. In a circuit breaker, a pair of relatively movable contacts including a stationary contact and a movable contact, means for supporting said movable contact comprising a member moving about two axes; a cam adapted to engage and then release said member, andmeans acting on said member and operative upon said release by the cam to move said member about one axis to cause the closure of the circuit, and about a different axis to cause the opening of the circuit.

5. In a circuit breaker, a pair of relatively movable contacts including a movable contact and two movable supporting members therefor, one pivoted on the other, a cam for controlling said supporting members, and a spring acting on one of said members and serving when said member is released by pivoted member a predetermined amount about its axis of connection with the other to cause the closure of the circuit and then to move both members to cause the opening of the circuit.

6. In a circuit breaker, a rotary contact controlling cam, a movable and a stationary contact; two members supporting the movable contact, one pivoted on the other, and a spring supported independently of both members and acting on the pivoted member, said spring serving when the cam reaches a predetermined position to rock the pivoted member on the other member to cause the closure of the circuit, and after a predetermined pivotal movement to shift both members to cause the opening of the circuit.

' 7. In combination in a circuit breaker, a pair of relatively movable contacts, a movable member carrying one of said contacts and having a movable support, means for causing said member and support to move both independently and in unison to cause the engagement and separation of the contacts, said member being pivoted to said support between its ends, the contact being carried on one side of the pivot, and a cam engaging said member on the opposite side of the pivot.

8. In a. circuit breaker, a pair of relatively movable contacts, a movable member carrying one of said contacts, a movable support to which said member is pivoted, said support being spring-biased to move in one direction, a cam for giving said member a predetermined movement and then releasing the same, and a spring operative upon the release by the cam for rocking said member about its pivot on said support so as to close the circuit breaker and for then shifting both the member and its support to open the circuit breaker.

9. In a circuit breaker, a stationary contact, a movable contact, a movable member supporting the latter, a cam cooperating with said memberand a spring acting on said member to shift the movable contact in one direction to close the circuit breaker and to then shift the contact in the opposite direction to open the circuit breaker.

10. In a circuit breaker, a stationary contact, a movable contact, a cam, a movable *member supporting the movable contact, two springs of unequal strengths controlling said member and acting in conjunction during the closing of the circuit breaker and in opposition during the opening of the circuit breaker.

11. In a circuit breaker, a stationary contact, a movable contact, a movable. supporting member, a. second movable supporting member carrying the movable contact and pivoted to the first named movable supporting member, a rotary cam associated with and adapted to engage said pivoted supporting member said cam serving to rock said pivoted supporting member on the first named supporting member and then to shift both saidsupporting members, and means comprising a spring for shifting said pivoted supporting member to close the circuit and subsequently to shift both said members to open the circuit.

12. In a circuit breaker, a pair of relativel movable contacts, two movable supporting members for one of the contacts, including one member pivoted between its ends on the other, the contact being carried on one side of the pivot, a cam engaging said member on the opposite side of the pivot and a spring engaging the pivoted member and serving to shift the latter when released by the cam relative to the member which sup ports it to close the circuit, and after a predetermined relative movement serving to shift both members.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

E. B. Grrcmus'r, A. J. HUDsoN. 

